Automatic pigture-slide display apparatus



Jan. 30, 1923.

B. w. LAUCHLY.

AUTOMATIC PICTURE SLIDE DISPLAY APPARATUS.

HLED JAN.6|1922.

ll s

3 SHETSSHEET I.

Jan. 30, 1923.

B. W. LAUCHLY.

AUTOMATIC PICTURE SLIDE DISPLAY APPARATUS.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FILED JAN. 6. 1922.

v Jan. 30, 1923. 1,443,711.

B. W. LAUCHLY.

AUIUMA'TIC PICTURE SLIDE DISPLAY APPARATUS.

FILED MN. 6,1922. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATES BEN W. LAUCHL. OF JALCKSGN, MISSISSIPPI.

AUTOMATIC PICTURE-SLIDE DISTLAY APPARATUS.

Application filed. January 6, 1922.

To (6/? when; it may concern:

Be it known that 1. BEN Vi'. interim", a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of lliuds and btate of lvlississippi, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Automatic Picture-Slide Display Apparatus; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to automatic display apparatus adapted to successively dis play each of a series of picture slides. In accordance with usual practice in the art, the series of slides is located in a slide magazinc and each slide is carried, successively, by suitable mechanism from said magazine to a point of display. After having been displayed the used slide is returned by other devices from the point of display to the magazine from whence it started, the returned slide, however, being replaced at the rear end of the series.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for discharging the used slide from its support at the point of display, the advantages of this portion of the apparatus lying principally in its simplicity and consequent low cost of production.

A further object is to arrange the slide returning device in such wise that any number of slides may be accommodated in the magazine.

A further object is to provide an appara' tus in which the slides to be used need not be of any special design, such as being provided with projections on their edges, etc.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain combinations and arrimgemeuts of parts. all as will be hereinafter fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. the side of the housing being removed to illustrate the interior of the apparatus;

Fig. .2 is a sectional veiw taken transversely of the machine through the lower end of the magazine and looking toward the slide elevating mechanism;

Serial No. 59/2342.

Fig. :5 is a sectional view of the same parts taken at rightangles to Fig. 2.

1g. l. is a detail view of the return chute, Ill iil Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views illustrating the manner in which a. slide is supported at the point of display and in which the said slide is discharged from its sumport.

The apparatus is enclosed in a housing 10 whose sides are hinged, like doors, to give ready access to the interior of the apparatus. is the present invention resides solely in the mechanism for manipulating the slides, a general description of the various elements for projecting the pictures will sufiice. The usual source of light 11 is carried on any desi ed form of adjustable support Wlllllll the housing iii in rear of the lenses 1% and the objective iil tor projecting the pictures is uuuuird adjacent the front end of said llUllS mg.

The slide magazine. com n'ising side walls 1+ and a bottom 15, is preferably located in die front portion of the housing, being supiini'iiil in any suitable manner from the base id the housing with its bottom 15 inclined i' -arwarilly, The slides '15 are supported in an upright position on the inclined bottom 15?. said bottom forming a platform for the slides. As will later appear the slides are fed down the inclined bottom 15. the slide at the lowermost end of said bottom being adapted to register with vertical guide ways E6 in a pair of standards l7 suitably mounted on the base of the housing at each side of the magazine. Each slide 15. when in this position. is adapted to be carried upwardly in the guide ways 16 to a point in front oi the lenses .12 where it will be held stationarv while the picture thereon is displayed.

.is shown in the drawings, this slide elevating meclulnisin consists of an endless sprocket chain 18 carried on sprocket Wheels '19. 2 jourualed in cross pieces at the top and bottom. respectively, of the standards 3?. and sprocket wheels 21, 22 journaled in one oi the standards at the top and bot-torn, respectively. thereof. Sprockets 1.9 and Q0 are journalcd in said cross pieces intermediate the two standards with their peripheries arranged centrally of the standards so that the reach of the sprocket chain 18 between said wheels will lie centrally of the two standards. Sprocket wheel. 22 is con nected to the shaft of a motor (preferably strapped to the base of the housing) indicated at 23, the driving connections between said motor and sprocket embodying suitable speed reducing gears 24 for reducing the speed of: travel of chain 18.

A stud or post 25, of less length than the thickness of the individual slides, is carried on one of the liui-is of the chain 18 on the side of said link adjacent the slides in the magazine and as the sprocket chain is driven around on the sprocket wheels said stud engages the bottom edge of the lowermost slide and carries it upward in the ways 16. Secured on the front wall 16 of each guide wa is a spring 26 extending across said guide ways into contact with the rear walls 16 of the ways. The upper ends of said springs 26 are bent back and upward, as at 27. towards the front walls 16 to form a she] t for supporting the raised slide in front of lenses l2 in display position.

A slide carried up by the chain and stud will force springs 26 back from the rear walls of the guide ways and as the stud reaches the height of its travel upward the bottom edge of the slide will have been ele vated just above the bent portions 27' of the springs and said springs will snap back against the rear walls 16 and hold the slide in display position.

lVhile the present device is illustrated as comprising a single stud, it is evident that under various conditions two or more studs may be used. as for instance it it is desired to elevate the slides more frequently or if a comparatively long chain is utilized.

To permit the slide to be returned to the magazine after it has been displayed and another slide is elevated, the Front walls 16 of the guide ways 16 are cut away or terminate a short distance below the bent ends 27 of the springs 26 while the rear walls 16 of said ways extend upwardly a sufficient distance to aid in properly positioning the slides in front of the lens. Near their upper extremities. at a point just above the middle of the slide on the springs 26, said rear walls 16 are inclined as at 28.

Assuming a slide to be in display position. and that the stud has been carried around. and engaged another slide. said on-corning slide will. as it is elevated, pass beneath. springs 2G and engage the bottom of the slide on display (called the used slide). The used slide will then also be elevated until its center passes above the inclined ends of walls 16" when its upper end will be tilled backward and its lower edge moved. {inward away from the walls 16*. To insure the upper end of the used slide falling or tilting: backward a guard 28 is located above the upper end 0 1' the guidcways (see Figs. 3 and 6). The (in-coining slide will then pass behind the used slide and as it does the used slide, being no longer supported by the springs 26 or by the on-coinin a' slide, will drop into a return chute 29 and pass down into the magazine at the end ol' the series in the magazine and will afterwards be gradually i'ed tmrards the ways it as the apparatus continues to operate.

To provide zurconnnmlations for any nun1- her of slides in the magazine and to insure the .lides being maintained in an upright pr; itiou on the inclined floor of the magazine. the return chute 29 is made in the form of a lranie 3H pivotally mounted at its upper end and provided with downwardly extending return guide ways 31 for the slides. The. upper end 0t said frame is pivoted close to the standards 17. its lower end having; a tendency to swing in close to the lower ends of the stamlards. The lower end of the frame extends down between the side walls of the magazine and as it swings towards the standards it will engage the slides in the magazine and hold them in upright position, the series of slides being suppnted at their opposite end by the walls of the guideways l6.

llesilieut lingers 32. prez'erably curved towards the standards 17. are provided on the lower end ot the frame ll) and have a cushioning effect on the returning slide as it :iporoaehes the lower end of the chute.

is will be apparent. the number of slides that may be 2l('.( lllll'fi()tl{l.t(3d between the w: lb and the end. of the swinging frame is limited only by the length of the floor of ihe magazine. liy supl'iorting the slides in the magazine in the manner just described, and by arrunuinp; the elevating mechanism so that the stud 25 engages the bottom of the slide while the latter is supported by the ways H3. the slides need not be provided with projections on their edges but. on the other hand. ordiini y slidcs having plane, straight edges are rapable oi use in the pres- =nt apparatus.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. ln a display :Ll'llhldill'lb-f for picture slides, the combination of a slide magazine. mechanism tor elevating; the slides from the magazine to a point of display. said niaga zine having means i'm' tending the slides to the elevating loci-banish]. and a pivoted return chute For returning the slide from the point of display to the magazine. the delivery end cl said chute being: adapted to deposit the used lide at any one of ii plurality of points in the magazine.

3. In a display apparatus lo! picture lides. the rolnbination of a slide inauuizin mechanism 'l'or elevat ng the slide from the magazine to the point ot' display. said ma n aaine having: means for feeding th v slides t the elevating; mechanism. and a. pivotlln llO

of the return chute all mounted return chute for returning the sli es from the point of displa fto themagazine, the delivery end of sai chute being movable lon 'tudinally of the magazine,

whereby aj sli e may be deposited at any one, of a plurality of points throughout the, length of the magazine.

3. In a display apparatus for picture slides, the combination of a slide magazine, mechanism for elevating theslides from the magazine to a point of display, said magazine having an inclined bottom adapted to feed the slides to the elevating mechanism, and a pivotaliy mounted return chute for returning the used slides from the point of display to the 'ma azine, the delivery end eing adapted to engage the slides in the n them in uglrightposition on the inclined bottom of e magazine.

t. A display apparatus for picture slides comprising a slide magazine, means for sup porting a slide at a point of display, means for successively elevating the sli es the magazine to the point of dis slightly elevating the receding slide a ove the point 0% tilting the displayed slide after it'has been slightly elevated and means for, returning the displayed slide to the magazine.

5. A display apparatus for picture slides comprising a slide magazine, guide ways extending from the magazine to a point of display, one wall of each guide'wayprojecting above the point of display and being inclined adjacent its upper end, meansfor successively elevating the slides from the magazine to the point of display, and means for guiding the upper edge'o'f the on-com1 ing slide into engagement with the lower edge of the used slide to support and slightly elevate the latter and permit the upper end of said used slide to tilt backlay and lsplayed ward on the inclined portions of the guide way walls.

6 A display apparatus for picture slides comprising a slide magazine, guide ways extending from said magazine to a point of display, means for successively elevati slides from the magazine to a point 0 display, means for supporting one slide in position for display and guidingthe upper edge of the next elevated slide Into engagement with the lower edge of the slide on display. whereby the slide on dis lay will be upported and slightly elevate by the oncoming slide, and means for tiltlng theshde on display.

7. In a dis lay apparatus for picture slides. the com ination of a slide magazine, guide ways extending from the magazine to =1 point of display, means for successively elevating the slides from the magazine to point of display. means for supporting one slide in display position and guidingthe a point of display, meansfor sup magazine and maintain from display, means for ing slide into engagement with-the used means for tilting t the.

elevated, a swinging frame,

nexton-coming slide intoen agement with the lower end of the support slide, whereb the supported slide will be supported and slightly elevated by the on-oo'ming slide, means for moving the lower ed e of the sup orted slide away from the w of the gm e wayswhereby the on-comi slide will be elevated between the used slide and the walls of the guide ways, and means for returning the used slide to the magazine.- 75 I- 8. In a dis lay apparatus for picture slides, thecom ination ofra slide magazine, guide ways extending from the magazine'to ortin a slide at the dis lay point and g'ui mg n12 next on-coming Side mtoengagement with V the used slide, whereby the latter-will be elevated, adpivotnlly mounted frame having return gui e ways therein for. returning a used slide to the magazine, and means for the used slide off its support anddepositing it inthe return guide ways. 7

9. In a display apparatus for picture slides, the combination of a slide magazine, guide ways extending from the magazine to a point of display, means for elevating the slides from the magazine to the oint of display, means for supporting a sh e at the display point and guidingthe next on-comslide, whereby the used slide will be elevated, a swinging frame pivoted at its upper end, aiide ways in said frame adapted to return t e used slides by ravity to the magazine,

lie used slide as it is elevated by the on-coming slide and depositing it in the return uidc ways, and means for cushioning the side as it falls down the return ide ways.

10. n a display apparatus for picture slides, the combination of a slide magazine having an inclined bottom for'su porting the slides, guide ways extending om the magazine to the point of display, means for elevating the slides in said guide ways means for supporting a slide at the point oi dis lay and guiding the next on-coming of the used whereby the latter will be sli e into engagement with the lower edge said frame adapted to return t e slides from 1 the point of display to the magazine, means for-tilting: the used slide as it IS elevated by the 0n-c0ming slide and depositing it in the return guide ways, and means, carried by said frame for maintaining the slides in substantially vertical position on the inclined bottom of the ma gazine. 11. In a dis lay apparatus for picture slides, the combination of a magazine, guide ways leading from the magazine to a point of display. means for feeding the slides from the magazine to the point of display, and a frame having return guide ways for returning the used slides from the point of uide ways in 115' display to ihe 'iigaga z ilieisiaid fiafiielbeihg movable tewards mid 'a. v ing guide ways whereby vuryin g numljers of slides may be accommodated m-the mega zine.

12. In a; display apperalzus for picture slides. fihe combination of ajmagezine, means for supporting a sligle ate aim; of display, mechanism for" succemive 3* moving the slides frorhthe magazine t9 the pemt of display, the-ans foeg u'icling' the enwoming slideinto en'gagement with-the used. slide, means for tilting fhe used'slide a's-it' is elevated by the-on-demihgsliklemnd' a mox eble returri chute adaijted to receive the tilted slicle (and return it to the magazine.

13. I21 :1 display apparatus for picture slides, the combination of-emagazine fo the slides, means for supporting i1 slide at a display, and a mevabl'e retuin chute adapted to reeeive 'the'used Slide as it is discharged from its support at the point ofdispluy and return it to the'magazihe. r i

"14'. In a display mppaiatus' for .pi'ctufe slides,"he ebrillii'flation of a ihaigazine,.n1es.ns for sigh:e'e ssiv'ely eleYa't-ing ,the slides-{Toni the mag uzin'th e peiiit of display said "elevetingmeans eemfmising an endless chain lisivi one of its ieeehes lociltecl between the sice edges of the slide.to beelei'ate d fr om t he magazineAnd meens on said cliain fol engaglng'the'hotfen l edge of the sl de Bey W L AUCHLYQ 

